A Strange and Lovely Spot

Mom and I embarked on what turned into a mammoth drive on Thursday to arrive where I am right now, at Lake Wallowa, Oregon (accent on second syllable). We undertook this craziness to attend a family reunion of people from my grandmother, her mother's side of the family, the Marsden's. They are mostly Mormon, and very fun and nice, though I found myself relieved to see one of the young in-laws smoking this morning, so clearly there are a few special cases in the mix, not unlike myself. Not that I smoke, but y'know…

To begin with, it took two days of driving to get here. I left Calgary on Thursday morning at 9:30, and we got to Sandpoint, Idaho at 6:00 pm PST, so that was 9 ½ hours of butt-numbing. The next day we went from Sandpoint at 10:00 and did not arrive to the camp spot until 5:00 pm. The wild thing is that on Sunday afternoon we start the reverse journey. Egad. However, we have been very adventurous and tenacious, especially when it comes to quality food. On Thursday we stopped for lunch at the organic café in Fernie. I just love it there. They create a menu of fresh, local food and serve it in this quaint old house, converted into a café. For dinner that night we were determined not to get stuck eating fried chicken or burgers, so we adventured through Sandpoint until we found Jalapenos for Cilantro Chicken. Oh, yummy and a great patio. Searching for cute restaurants in a new town that you fall in love with the instant you enter it…I just love that. She said we should ASK someone. I mean seriously. This is one of those times when you just don't want to ask because finding that special place yourself is truly magical. Friday we found the Café Sage quite by accident in Lewiston, right on the border of Idaho and Washington. Again, fresh and delicious homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, art up everywhere, the owner is there working, not a deep fryer to be found. In fact, the owner came out to talk to us about our map and I doubt we would have made it so easily to our destination without her wise advice. She even told us where to go to get camping groceries. So, we arrived finally, after driving through cute town after cute town and warm, beautiful lake after hot, sandy beach, and the Rattlesnake Gorge, to our spot in the low mountains of northeast Oregon to the camp itself…

In order to avoid high costs, the family booked the local boy scout camp, expecting anywhere from 30 – 100 family members to attend. I have been taking pictures madly, but it is a little bizarre, to say the least (see facebook). There is a costly metal suspension bridge, which abruptly ends in a staircase that goes down to the middle of the river. There is a Sanitorium next door (check me in, already). There are no real camping spots, just fields and hills, so our tent gives the distinct impression that you are in a dentist's chair while you sleep, it is at such an angle. There are old, abandoned and derelict cabins, which only make me more determined to stick it out in the tent. We are using an old stump as a table.

Today, as always, I got up early, so decided to go for a jog. I ran down the hill twenty minutes to the state park, then hiked 30 minutes back up the hill. Small branches of the family invited me for breakfast all along the way, and though I like them and so appreciate the generosity, was determined to have my nut bar for breakfast and THAT's IT. This was not to be, however. When your Grandmother's brother hikes up to your tent, and demands that you come eat his hot breakfast, you damn well go, no matter how "pot belly" the food may be. White flour blueberry pancakes, fried spam ("sausage") and Camper's Blend (potatoes, eggs, onions) awaited me, in addition to a big glass of milk. Ok, the ONLY thing in this breakfast that I eat are the blueberries, the eggs, and the onions, but I sat down with a smile, and a plastic fork to eat my bloody breakfast like only a grandniece can. It could not be helped.

Breakfast completed, I felt the need to escape for two reasons; 1. My ardent desire to come to the lake and lay on the beach, and 2. My burning passion to not be force-fed last night's leftover pork on a bun for lunch today. Mom dropped me off at the beach at 10:00 am quite graciously, and with apologies for my being alone. Lol. I told her not to come back until 4:00. It is currently 1:30. If I get sick of myself before then, I can pack up and walk back to camp, though so far I have been leisurely reading every single article in the Vogue magazine with Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover, that my sister gave me a week ago, and now doing a little journaling and a little blogging.

The beach is as odd as all the other spots here. It feeds out directly from a huge mountain creek, though is strangely warmish. I left my diving shoes in mom's truck of course, so am forced to suffer like all the other hapless flipflop wearers. There are all types of people out here today. On the right is another huge family of Mormons, though very good looking and posh ones…not too traditional. On my left are the family of three lesbians and their sundry children…either that or they are girlfriends who just like to kiss a lot. The three of them seem to have perfectly well-adjusted kids who all get along better than anyone else out here, and their party includes a yellow lab puppy that makes my heart MELT. There is everything from ocean kayaks and paddle-boats, to elaborate BLOW UP yacht that fit 8 people, and motor and speed boats on the water. Dogs are allowed. Dogs are never allowed! Oh….wait…a wooden canoe just took off from this beach with two dudes in it (I took canoeing as a one credit course in university, so I think I know everything about it), and a sailboat is motoring out of the tiny marina. There is a family from Brasil speaking their beautiful Portugese…what the hell are they doing in the middle of nowhere, northeast Oregon? But then, what am I? See, I try to avoid fried canned meat, and end up with a rich and entertaining world splayed out before me. There are no accidents.

Sunday night: Side notes: the huge family on my right turned out to be Marsden's attending the same reunion. The kids who swamped the canoe are in my family. Oops. Didn't recognize each other. Lol. After the beach I hiked back to the camp with all my gear and had the BEST outdoor shower you can possibly imagine. It felt amazing.

Mom and I have returned to Sandpoint, and I am crazy about this little place. It has the best lake beach I have ever seen, it is in a valley, not the mountains, so it is warm, it is full of cute shops and restaurants, people from all over the States, the music festival, the bridge, the cute hotels on the waterfront…I just can't believe I haven't been here before, but I will be back.

Seven Jeans, Piercings, Acrylics, Carrie Diaries and Laptops

Caught in a classic conundrum...is it better to wear the slightly too tight Sevens to dinner, so that I order less, or the slightly too loose ones, so that I am comfortable? Or better yet, a skirt...hmmm...

I was thinking today about things that are slightly over-rated. I got a small nose piercing at the end of May that I was oh-so excited about. The damn thing never healed properly though, hurt constantly, and I swear it gave me headaches that STARTED in my nose and travelled to the base of my skull. Now my lovely massage therapist, Lisa, amongst others, would tell me that this is not surprising since piercings screw with your body's meridians and can totally mess you up. I was willing to suffer for sexy, but honestly, it just wasn't worth it.

Then I was thinking about the acrylic/gel nails that I have never bothered to get until about six months ago. I finally caved because although my own nails have always been strong and decent, I was fed up trying to keep them looking good, since no one seems to be able to invent polish that won't chip immediately. So I went for fakeys. They have been a disappointment. The cost of keeping them done is astronomical, my own nails grow so fast that I constantly had to have them filled, weird stuff gets in them when they start to "lift" or come unglued, and trying to use my blackberry was a true nightmare. The spelling mistakes were often humiliating. When I finally had them removed, my own nails were left looking like I had tried to scratch my way to safety out of prison.

NOT a disappointment: My new cute little lightweight laptop. I love this stinker. I can carry it anywhere, and if I find myself waiting for someone, bored, excited, or just in the mood for internet, there it is. Absolutely mandatory is the little stick from Telus that allows me to have internet anywhere, even when I can't find an available network. Because honestly, how useful is the internet on the blackberry? Sorry, but for anything beyond a phone number, trying to search for something or someone on handheld devices is still almost annoying as it was three years ago. i can't stand it. Love my laptop. I have named it Ruby in honour of the ruby slippers, even though it is silver, because so were the ruby slippers. They were made of silver in the book, not rubies. Get it?

Lastly, most people know that I am crazy about Sex and the City. I finally broke down and bought The Carrie Diaries, the prequel book. I resisted for a long time, wanting to avoid disappointment. It did NOT disappoint, so I just went out yesterday and picked up #2: Summer and the City. So far, so good. I know it's not "The Incredible Lightness of Being", but it makes me happy. I have done the phase where it was all about reading profound literature, seeing French films, and absurdist theatre. You know what that leads to? Tears! I am doing escapist entertainment, and smiling my little lips off.

Impossible

When you hear of someone being impossible, that someone is me. I am absolutely impossible to control, impossible to maintain, impossible to please or make happy for any period of time. I always think I know exactly what I want until I get it and then I somehow lose it. Like a child I am selfish, difficult, and demanding. I am adventurous but then become terrified of the adventure when it is actually happening. I like feeling settled, then the moment I do, I start to hyperventilate and feel trapped. It is almost impossible to maintain any kind of relationship with me, because either my demands, my perfectionism, or my pride will destroy it. I have no idea how to stop this change it, or what to do next. No one knows how to advise me on this because after all, I am impossible. I make rash desicisons constantly, convinced I am doing the right thing, convinced I see the path clearly, then instantly regret them, but find the choice irreversible. I am so frustrated with myself right now, I can barely think straight. I am impossible. Impossible to love.

(This is all ficitonal of course...any relation to those living or dead pure coincidence).

more likeable stuff...

other things to like in goderich:

1. racoons that wander around looking friendly (okay, i later learned that it is most likely rabid...like people...the super outgoing ones are really hoping to take a chunk of flesh...lol)

2. sitting here on my deck this morning, i have just seen a white dove, a blue jay, and a cardinal in the trees in my yard.

3. at night i can hear the tide on lake huron and the gulls.

4. they still sell milk in bags.

5. it doesn't get cold at night, or even at dawn.

6. you can run to rexall for milk at 8am in your black disco nightshirt and still feel fashionable.

7. the fresh-caught and perfectly baked lake whitefish i had for dinner last night in a restaurant that looks like a 1960's museum...because they haven't changed a thing since then, including gus, the owner. i think it was called the candlelight. maybe just the candle. anyway, catch of the day, every day. yummy!!!

i think that's all i've had time for since yesterday...

beach thoughts

i

so here i sit attempting to write from my phone. i can't use capitals. hmm. anyway, it is a hot morning already on lake huron. no one else wanted to come down here yet, so i am alone in the only place i ever just allow myself to chill - the beach. i've never had a reason to come to the great lakes before. always have been an ocean girl. i am very pleasantly surprised to find it so expansive, hot, lush, beautiful, and uncrowded. always thought i had to go tropical to get this, but here it is: sand, tides, water that looks like it goes on forever, and sun. i am amazed that we are so fortunate as canadians to be able to go on vacation within our country and feel like it is a foreign experience. completely different food, shops, accents, and ways of doing things. my sister has been trying to tell me how great it is and how i would love it as much as the carribbean. i didn't believe her, but once again, i should've trusted that she knows me well. she was right. i love the cute little towns, the huge, swimmable water and unoccupied stretches of sand, the local produce, the adorable but enormous brick victorian estate homes that are everywhere, the fact that i can speak the language, the bakeries and chocolate shops and tiny (no doubt magical) book stores, the enormous trees, the lack of mosquitos, the balmy nights, the cat that seems to be the guardian of our rental home at night, the fact that my rental car does not terrify me, the fact that everything is so different from home, the high school band that played in the park concert shell across the street last night, the lilies that grow wild everywhere and perfume the air, the humidity, the pub across the street that is situated in a flower garden and serves delicious pan seered freshly caught lake fish, how much cheaper everything is from real estate to crackers, the giant coconut macaroons from the german bakery, the lack of condo developments, the man next door that sells bikes, the boardwalk that goes on forever, the soy, wheat, and corn fields, and the cute city workers on the beach. mind you, i have only been here 36 hours, so will have to write updates as they occur.

I do NOT love mosquitoes

I was going to call this "I hate mosquitoes", but hate is such a strong word. I loathe, detest, and despise them. Honestly, as Calgarians we wait ALL YEAR for decent weather, and as soon as it arrives, so does the vampire army. And they don't try to glamour or seduce you, or take you on exotic vacations. Those bitches just come right up to you and draw your blood. This is particularly offensive in my case because they leave behind huge welt-like owies that are hideous and interfere with my smooth skin thing. What is the PURPOSE of these terrible creatures? They can not be that essential to the food chain. The trouble is, the harder people try to get rid of them, it seems the stronger they come back. Repellants have to be increasingly strong...pretty soon they will be able to get right through armour. On the hiking trip from hell that I have often referred to, I had several desperate blood-suckers bite me through a HAT and a canvas coat. So, during our three short weeks of Calgarian summer, we are forced to either sit inside, looking at the sunshine, or do what I did today, completely coat myself in Off to brave the bike ride from Point McKay to Prince's Island and hope that between the Off and my super speed I could outrun them.

A big hole

I really don't know how people do it. School ends and kids and teachers seem so relieved and thrilled. Once again, I have the July 1st blues, and worse than ever this year. Between losing people close to me who are never coming back, and everyone I know flying willy nilly to visit friends and relatives, I feel totally abandoned and alone and it SUCKS! I spend 10 or more hours a day at work, and I have a family there. It's not like every day is perfect, or nothing bad happens, but we invest a lot of time and caring in each other. When my days suddenly become unstructured and I am left to re-establish my relationship with...well...my book shelf, I don't see what is so damned exciting, personally. I guess this is what happens when you are a workaholic and most of your relationships are workplace-based. Or there are people like my sister, who still has to go to work, and therefore can't fill the gap for me anyway. My hobby is really, really people. Taking care of them, spending time on them, pleasing them, finding ways to show my love for them. SO when they're gone, I have NO IDEA what to do. I usually go spend money on something or run away to a different city where I don't have to feel their absence. I this all very odd? I don't know anyone else who really goes through this like I do.

Dragon Lady

I always call my mean teacher face, the "Dragon Lady" because when I was little I decided that I don't fit my western zodiac profile AT ALL, but my Chinese sign is the Dragon, and the brief description on the paper placemats at Henry's Chinese (my grandpa's favourite place) seemed to fit.

Over the years I have had a fond place in my heart for the dragon symbol, and people have gifted dragons to me over the years when they know this about me...it's kind of cool.

However, tonight I am working on a little project for a party tomorrow...party favours for people who attend, "Karie's Favourite Things" in a little bag, so I thought it would be fun to throw in a little dragon info. Do I have this kind of free time? Nope. Anyhow, I can not believe what I found. It is so SPOOKILY ACCURATE. If you know me at all personally, you will have to tell me what you think. Sadly, my compatible sign is NOT Matt's (he is the dog), but c'est la vie. Check it out:

"The DRAGON is the only legendary animal symbol and mightiest of the signs. Dominant, ambitious, and prefer to live by their own rules. Honest, sensitive, and brave, these individuals are most compatible with Snakes, Monkeys, Roosters, and Rats. Dragons will give into love, but retain independence. Because of their vengeful natures, partners need to be thick-skinned. Dragons prefer those they find intriguing. Dragons are passionate in all they do and do things in grand fashion, but this passion and enthusiasm oddly leaves them unfulfilled and exhausted. Will help others, but rarely ask for help. Specifically FIRE DRAGON (me) is yang in nature. Its motion is upward and expansive. It is associated with Summer, South, hot weather, and the colour red (extremely lucky), planet Mars, and daylight.

Fire attributes are considered to be dynamism, strength, and persistence, however also connected to restlessness. They react quickly and recklessly. Warm, enthusiastic, and creative, however excess may turn into aggression, impatience, and impulsive behaviour. While provides heat and warmth, can also burn. Associated organs are the heart, tongue, and the body's pulse. These people are healthy, energetic, excitable, stubborn, and short-tempered. They inspire confidence and trust. They tend to be soft-hearted, which means others may take advantage of them.

Um...whoa. I'm having a reflective moment. Uh, yah. I'm not saying this sums me up, but nothing I read tonight on multiple web sites is inaccurate. I just like to think I'm even more complex than this. Oh right. Lastly, dragons tend to put themselves on pedestals. Oops.

So the rest of the story is that they replaced the flowers today, and they are lovely. Those coloured orchids are so divine. I am happy, and it pays to be a squeaky wheel. It is hard for me to do, but the results often end up very positive, and this is what keeps companies honest.


I have had an interesting weekend. I feel so manic during the week days, like I am overflowing with energy (usually good) and I have so much to give to others. I have energy and attention for every kid or colleague who needs it, and I can balance 55 things at once and do a great job of them all. Then when the weekend arrives, if I don't have major plans that allow me to sustain that level of energy....I crash.

Mom and Amber had a slumber party last night and we played this goofy game that had us all giggling, but then I had the weirdest night full of nightmares and not being able to sleep. In one of them, I was outside at night and kept hearing women screaming. I would run to find them, but they would be dead, and a guy was running away. I would chase the guy, but by the time I caught up to him, another woman would be dead. Woke up from that one just shaking, and that was it. No more real sleep. WEIRD. I had no weapon in this dream and I could run really fast, but what the hell did I think I was going to do if I caught up with this crazed killer? Tell him to be a good boy?

After breakfast, took mom to Costco, Planet Organic (my favourite store on earth) and a couple other stops, including lunch at Cravings. If you have never been there, you should go. It is owned by the Great Events Family (I used to cater for them) and the food quality is awesome, but so are the prices. I have never had ANYTHING there that wasn't delicious, and the way you can pick from so many different food stations reminds me of La Marche in Montreal that I used to call the "Disneyland of Food". You know for me it is never about quantity (although the portions are generous), but flavours, beauty, excitement. I had Lima Bean Salad, Vegetable Salad, and Quinoa Salad with chicken breast, but everything there is so delicious from the crab cakes to the steaks, to the fresh soups. Then we came back here and watched Modern Family and drank tea. She had never seen it and she howled like crazy. Now I should be working on grad but I kinda miss her and miss my work buddies and am REALLY tired, so may sleep after hockey is done.

Side note: Mother's Day tomorrow. I am making turkey meatballs with brown rice and salad and acorn squash for Matt's mom. Friday night I made a hot wild rice pasta salad for my mom. This morning made banana mango smoothies that my sister was convinced were full of real cream because they were smooth and alicious. Nope. Almond milk and Karie's SECRET INGREDIENT. Love cooking for people. Just love it.

Flower Delivery

So I sent flowers to UofA hospital this week. The ones on the left are the ones the lovely lady received. The ones on the right are the ones I ORDERED. Hmmm... www.canadaflowers.ca says they will "take care of it" tomorrow. We shall see. Seriously. 3 dying roses and 3 pink daisies? I DON'T THINK SO!! Maybe they thought the tacky orange polka-dot ribbon would make up for it? It doesn't. Or the ugly vase would be mistaken for the cut-glass one in the photo online? Nope, it doesn't either!! Just goes to show what happens when you send your business to EDMONTON. Just kidding. Sort of. Not really. I think that may be a not-yet-bloomed bird of paradise in the front of the picture. WHO WANTS A BOUQUET OF HALF DEAD AND NOT YET BLOOMED FLOWERS????? That's called the back alley. Does that pic on the left look like $70??? Nope. More like $17. Sheesh. Lesson learned. When you send flowers, ask the recipient to send you a pic.

Bin Laden Mania

I started ranting on facebook, but I have too much to say on this topic for facebook to contain. The American government is so great at congratulating itself, it is laughable. Trust me, I lived there. So, as I said on facebook, I do not understand why people are dancing in the street over this. And I think Matt thinks I am evil because of this. He is crying, he is so pleased that Osama is dead. I, on the other hand, am not. For one thing, WHY DID IT TAKE 10 YEARS to kill this dude? As Wulf B just said on CNN, he was a lighly recognizable individual. It only took them 40 minutes to "get him" they say on CNN. Yeah, 10 years and 40 minutes.

Well, let's see. North American (and other) governments have used 9-11 as a "reason" to suspend almost every civil liberty that our ancestors fought for. Now that we have all been conditioned to expect to be treated like criminals when we try to fly to Disneyland (or anywhere), they don't need excuses any more.

Is it just me, or is the poster boy just the tip of the iceberg? By now, he has been replaced by some other f-ing psycho, who has yet to make a name for himself around the world. Yes, he was the "leader". Of a huge, and complex organization that continues to operate with or without him. I mean, the dude has been HIDING OUT, so you're trying to tell me he has the same kind of power he used to? Nope. Other, younger, and imaginative men have undoubtedly been running the organization for many years.

But gosh, it sounds good. And the media sure does perpetuate the hysteria over the "significance" of this moment. They won't say how or what they did to OBL. He probably died in the bathtub. I'm bitter. I'm pissed about body scanners and water bottles and Ziploc baggies. I'm annoyed that I have had to strip to almost nothing to travel. I'm pissed that field trips don't get approved because of this bs, that people have fears of public transit, that we barely remember how free we used to be, and how we bought into a culture of fear. I'm troubled that we went to war with Iraq over this guy and about what the west has done in the east, and what we have done to our own service men and women. Well, we are all nicely conditioned now. Good for us. It's good that the bastard is dead, but has the idealogy been killed? Hardly. This is more than likely to fuel the fire, not snuff it. What does Osama's death mean? One step. One good step. Nothing more than that, to me.

Do you get to laugh at work ALL THE TIME?

Well, I do. And I feel so lucky. Several times a day it is with colleagues and friends, but I constantly laugh with (and at) kids. Oh, they are so funny....especially when they don't mean to be. I told my grade nine's today that I want to start a random quote book of totally hilarious things that they say. It all started today, with a scene where one student was playing the "wife" in the scene being performed, and went up to her "husband" in all serious drama mode and asked, "Honey, have you seen my chicken knife?" I have no idea why the idea of a chef's knife that is reserved solely for cutting chicken makes me laugh so hard, but it does. And then there was a scene (very serious, too) with a character named Dick. They thought that was clever, but the hilarity didn't really happen until a moment of intensity in the scene when another character grabbed the dying Dick by the shoulders and shouted, "Dick! Don't let me down!" Oh God. I almost couldn't breathe. The hardest part for me is when I REALLY want to laugh, but I can't, because the kids are being so SERIOUS and DRAMATIC and EMOTIONAL in their work. It's not really an urge to make fun of them, more like their insights into the adult world just hit me sometimes...and I am thankful that I teach in the dark so often so my babies can't see me laughing at them. What a great, great, great job. I am reminding myself of this particularly on nights like tonight because I just got home (8:45) and need to be back early in the morning. It definitely wouldn't be worth it without their charming little personalities waiting to greet me.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I love this picture of my mom. For one thing, it is just so her, in her big floppy hats and practical sandals. Also, it was taken at Butchart Gardens, and if you know my mom, she kind of seems like she belongs in one all the time. She is just so gentle and sweet and patient. And then there are SUNBEAMS visible in the photo, which just completes it for me. She HATES having her picture taken. I think I sucked all the attention-seeking away from her. She gifted it to me when I was born, so she hates to be the centre of attention, hates to be photographed, hates to be noticed...sounds like the opposite of me, right?

Anyway, I helped her book a little trip for her spring break a couple of weeks ago, which was majorly momentous because she never takes vacations. And she is going with a friend, not a family member, so I am so proud of her. Girl gonna have some fun! But now she has caught the vacation bug. The woman who needed me to look up flights for her a mere few weeks ago, is now hopping around on all the travel web sites, looking for "deals" and just reported to me that Vegas is on sale for $99. She is making grandiose plans for roadtrips down the California coastline, with maybe a stop in Louisiana, followed by a quick jaunt to Stockholm to see where the Olsons originated.

I get it. Planning vacations is completely addictive for me. In fact, I think I like planning the trip more than taking it. I love pouring over web sites looking for that ideal combination of beautiful beach, delicious food, and most importantly "bargains". I love reading tripadvisor comments and assessing, based on the person's demographic, whether I want to trust their opinion or not (like, why do all of you Americans expect Mexico to be like Los Angeles?). My favorite challenge now are non-package combinations, where I have to search for flights, hotels, cars, all seperately, because the destination is not package-friendly.

It's a problem. Yet another addiction to overcome. Well, I got over Bread Addiction, I can get over this. Because of course, the moment I hit PURCHASE, the rush ends, the trip is booked, and I have to look for another way to get my travel-booking hit. That is why planning trips for other people is so great. You can have all the fun of careful planning, but then they have to fork out the money and take the trip. Perfect.

Spring Break

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3df7661QadM

This has definitely been a strange Spring Break for me...it has really been all over the place. Having spent the last one in the Dominican, and pretty much all of the last four before that in Mexico, I really didn't know what I was going to do. It turned out to be mostly nice, but so different. I got lots of opportunities to see friends, sometimes for extended periods of time that normally would be hard to squeeze in. It helps when your friends are also teachers on spring break, but I even managed to see the non-teachers. And go to some places in the city that I never normally visit any more - like Chinatown. Spending time with people was lovely.

I rehearsed with my students twice, on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are so cute and so committed. Honestly, how can you say no when they are willing and wanting to take time out of their break to come and do theatre? We made good progress too, which is very good since we have to perform in three and a half weeks. They are a good group, very instinctual, and have a really solid understanding of what has to happen in order for the piece to work. It is so easy to get feeling blah about work, but for me, when I can actual dig into something good with the kids, it makes all the other crap worth it. They give me an energy that does not compare to anything else, when we really get grooving together.

Banff was a great escape, but I felt like I needed another night. It's amazing that you don't have to go very far to downshift, but just when I started to mellow out, it was time to come home.

This weekend I have ended the break by just trying to do things that would make me start the week feeling on top. Caught up the laundry, changed all the beds (you never know when someone might need one), cleaned bathrooms. The glamorous parts of life that I am always so excited to do. Cleaning, I found lots of messages from Scoop too, which mostly makes me smile now, just barely a lip twitch. I found one of my most favourite and fairly new shirts in a heap behind a piece of furniture. Just as I was excited to have found it and pulled it out, I saw that it had been absolutely shredded on the whole right side. Scoop was not usually a dog to chew things he wasn't supposed to, but I must've pissed him off one day because the shirt was in hilarious pieces. Anyway, that was one...little things like dog claw scratches in furniture that I hadn't seen before and the odd toy wedged in strange places still pops up. But the positive side is I get to do things now that were out of the question before, like sleep in, and leave out this goofy puzzle someone gave me at Christmas that I never could have left on a table before because it would have been gnawed on.

And that's that for Spring Break. April is going to be nuts, so I am taking a deep breath and just plunging in. Got your Wicked tickets yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFMPAvZ0BzU&feature=fvsr

ttfn

BUSY!!: Wicked, London, Budget, Red Riding Hood & chop

http://www.wickedthemusical.com/page.php#

Today was full of awesomeness. Amber decided on our Wicked tickets and we finally booked them for the night before the big trip to Ontario for her wedding. We even convinced her fiance to come with us, and Mom and Ethan can too, because they will be in town to fly out the next day. Perfect. If you Calgary types haven't booked yet, come the same night as us and we will all have a blast. And if you don't know yet, this is not one you should miss. Amber also cut my formerly super-dry hair (thank you). I love having a sister with skills. And gave me a spring door wreath, which she made. More skills. Then we talked the boys into going to Red Riding Hood because the trailers looked cool. YYUUUUCK! But we had fun making fun of it. Can someone please explain to me how a bunch of people living a rustic life in the snowy wilderness are so beautiful and why they don't wear coats? Oh, because if you wear coats, you can't see flesh. And where did they get all that hair gel? And how do they have such impeccable oral hygeine? Grr...it bugs me because I was hoping this would be one of those cool, "what if this fairy tale were real" movies, and it was definitely not. How Gary Oldman and Julie Christie got involved, I will never know. Maybe they had gambling debts to pay off. To add to the hilariousness of this was the two LARGE groups of females over forty, who were glued to the screen. Are these the women who read Danielle Steele? Not that there's anything wrong with that... After the movie we went to "chop", which I have been to twice before and have had impeccable service and food. So I talked Matt, Joe and Ambi into going, instead of going where we usually go. Well the food was a disaster (the boys' steaks were RAW and my halibut was WAY overcooked) and the service was below what I would expect at a PUB, never mind an upscale steakhouse. The good thing is, we each got a free drink, free dessert, and a free entree for "next time" out of it. So management did try to make up for it. Maybe Sunday afternoon is when they train newbies, I don't know. But we had lots of fun criticizing the cooking too (don't order the crab) and for ONCE Amber got the best meal! She usually gets the bad meal, if there is one. Then I booked our minivan for our London, Ontario family extravaganza, which was the last piece of the puzzle for the wedding trip. At the same time, made play dates with some girlfriends, so all-in-all, today was fun and relaxing, and vacationy, despite the snow.

Inception & Moving Day

There are days that just make you think. About everything. And I already have that problem...thinking too much. Most people know that about me.
I finally finished watching Inception tonight. YUUUUUCK. I appreciate how brilliant it is, but I must be the only person on earth who HATES that movie. Like I needed to question reality MORE than I already do. Not to mention that it gets so LONG and BORING. And I don't give a damn about a single character, so I don't care what happens to them. No thank you.

The other thing that happened today was helping Mom and Ethan move. It is not that I mind this in the least. I love them so much and loved being able to help out. But every time I help with a move, I think about my reality. And basically I want to immediately go straight home, sell almost everything I own, and....what....I don't know. Just not have so many THINGS. Run away. I get overwhelmed by this every few months. I am just this way, and I have come to accept it, though have not totally learned how to live with it. I sometimes feel trapped by "stuff". I would like Carrie Bradshaw's apartment. 500 square feet, a huge closet full of beautiful clothes, a great bed, books, computer, and that's it. With a huge window overlooking a totally quaint street with bakeries and book shops and record stores. And a phone that is always ringing. Just a small home base where I can hang my hat in between adventures.

This makes me sound totally ungrateful, and I don't mean to. Sometimes I just want things to be simple. Plus, I know I am a little gypsy girl...always wanting to be loved, but always wanting to be free and roaming. "Stuff" just doesn't always jive with the gypsy parts of me.

Wow, I am complicated. Thanks for being my friend. It must be exhausting.

What's New?

Sometimes I feel like I have so much to blog about, and other times, I feel like the most uninteresting person on the planet because I "got nothin'", except things that are too diary-ish to blog about. And I am supposed to focus on BIG, not whine, but whining is so much FUNNIER.

Like Wednesday when I walked Scoop in the afternoon. I stepped down into what I thought was four inches of snow, and turned out to be literally UP TO MY KNEES in freezing cold ice water, cleverly disguised by two inches of snow. I was stuck, and panicked, and just kept going to where I knew a sidewalk existed in the park, but by the time I got there I was soaked through from the knees down in ice water, and then had to hobble home with the crazy mutt as fast as I could. I have to confess, I was crying by the time I got to the house to peel off my boots, socks, and jeans. Now is that a positive story? No. But looking back, is it hilariously lame? You bet. It is practically a Chaplin moment, it is so absurd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh0qDWzjnGs&feature=related

Someone truly hilarious, whose books and comedy I mostly love, now there is something to talk about. Chelsea Handler is beautiful, voted one of the 99 sexiest women in the world, totally naughty, and makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. I have been re-reading "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" while on the treadmill and it makes time fly. She is exactly eight months older than me, and I feel like she is the older, brasher sister I never had. And Tijuana comes up in this interview, which is so weird because I just dreamed about it last night. She is a little out there, but I admire her so much for just telling the truth as it occurs to her. And did I mention she makes my laugh?

Sam Tsui, Ethan, youtube

First things first: I kicked Matt's ASS at Playstation Tennis for hours tonight. Over and over again. This was monumental because I am CRAP at video games and can't play them. Ever. I am so pleased with myself. He won one match. I owned the rest. And then he practiced for a very long time while I went away and did other stuff. So it will never happen again. Oh well.

Now, down to business...I was getting a little carried away on facebook, so decided to switch to here. Blogs are so funny and absurd. I quote from the source of my last blog, Phantom:

This isn't a diary...not in the accepted sense of the term. I've no intention of sitting down dutifully each day to record tedious details of what I had for breakfast, which gown I ordered from my seamstress and who said what to who in the course of rehearsals. It's surely the height of vanity to assume anyone will want to read about your petty, unimportant life...I don't want anyone to read this document ever, for if they do I'll surely be locked up...

So Ethan (my 17-year-old brother) just comes along with little gems from time to time, out of no where that change my world. Ever since he was a baby we have had this surreal connection, and it has always continued. Age is a funny thing. He is 16 years younger than me, but one of my best friends, and one of the few people that I can talk to without any protective bricks blocking the most eccentric aspects of my personality. We just let it all hang out. So he sends me a youtube song, and I send him one, and he sends me this kid's cover of it, which blows me away. I started going gaga (no pun intended) on facebook, and hate those over-posters, so brought the overflow to the blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_IWRuryzaY&feature=relmfu

What was the world like before MASHUPS? I remember. It was cold and dark and lonely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIoSTbPt_PI&feature=related

Okay, this one is Don't Stop Believing and the kid does all the parts! Apparently he auditioned for Glee and didn't make it. Why? Cause he's better than four of them together? I think so...And this is a Glee fan speaking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQYmSfLAbJ8&feature=related

This is For Good from Wicked, which I notice people on youtube think should be a grad song WHICH I have been saying for YEARS. I suggest listening to it, but not watching because Nick's making out with the mic is a bit much. A little over the top emotionally but sounds cool. Close your eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QqAVFwGwaI

Imagine: dedicated to victims of Jan 8 Arizona shooting. Gorgeous. Do you EVER get sick of listening to Imagine?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdMZAeIfM94&feature=related

This one has great acappella instrumental vocals, too.

Ethan just asked me to spread the "No Autotune" message again. Sam doesn't use autotune. Vital to Ethan's appreciation of him as an artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBF-_WMY8HU&feature=relmfu

And then, there is this whole war between Kurt and Jake, whoever they are. They battle it out playing music on weird, wild, wonderful, and silly instruments. There is a whole series of them. This one is Moonlight Sonata on CROCKenspiel. Too funny.

This is a problem. If no one hears from me for a week, send someone to pry me away from youtube. All these years I have kept away from it, only occasionally clicking on peoples' recommendations. Why? Because I knew I would have a problem. Back away, Karie. Just back away!!

Books That Are Old Friends

There are readers, and then there are readers, and then there are READERS. I think I am the middle one. I used to think I was the bolded-type version, but have since realized I am not. The bold type is reserved for people who will read anything and everything they can get their hands on, including philosophical rants, biographies of every important political figure who has ever lived, and anything else that they feel may add to their personal knowledge of the world. I am not that type. Nor am I the type who is content to read the paper, whatever is on the Oprah recommended list, and Cosmo.

I am somewhere in the middle. I love to lose myself in a really great book, that sweeps me away into another time, place, or life. Even as a little girl I loved this type of escapist fiction, that could completely capture my imagination so that I felt that I was not just walking in someone else's shoes, but breathing their air. And then, when I have found these gems, I return to them at times to experience the ecstacy again.

I got all caught up watching Michael Crawford on youtube last weekend and decided to reread Phantom. I believe my cousin introduced me to this book, right after I saw the musical and read Gaston Lereux's work. He was always passing me good books then - we were both at a time in our lives when we had lots of leisurely hours available to us, to pour over novels, or stay up all night absorbing page after gripping page.

Written by Susan Kay, the historical novelist who also wrote Legacy (historical fiction about the life of Elizabeth I), it is a much more expansive and personal story than the one told by Lereux, or any film or theatrical version of the story. It tracks the Phantom character (Erik) through the eyes and minds of various other characters, including his mother, and his mentor. It tells an addicting tale of how this man became who he was by the time he reached the point at which we usually meet him, in other versions of the story.

Loving it again...highly recommend it...so dark, and brutal, and beautiful.

Little Old My Fair Ladies

A girl in the drama program at my school is currently in a production of My Fair Lady at St. Peter's Anglican Church. They are great neighbours to our school as well, so between wanting to support the student and wanting to foster a good relationship with the church and St. Peter's Players, off I went tonight to the show.
Before I say too much, I should preface this by saying that my mom FORCED me to watch MFL on film in my tweens (so about 3 years ago...j/k), though I protested loudly. Of course, I instantly fell in love with it, just like when she forced me to watch Camelot. A lot of people are in love with MFL, and Audrey Hepburn, so I must say that it is one of those musicals that I would never want to tackle because it is so beloved.
That being said, the St. Peter's Players did a great job tonight. I thought many of the performances were outstanding, considering how challenging a script it is. I don't really want to review the show though. I want to mention the AUDIENCE.
Oh my annoying goodness.
So, I seem to draw people to me in dark public spaces that like to be as grating as possible. At the movies, at plays, at concerts, whatever. This happens because of the energy that I put into CARING about audience behaviour, which is a lot. If I didn't care, it wouldn't happen to me. I know this.
Needless to say, yet again I got some goodies. Four very sweet-looking and charming-acting little older ladies sat behind me tonight. At first I found them adorable as I eavesdropped on their pre-show banter. They all had UK accents of varying sorts (who doesn't love that?) and seemed to be great friends.
Then the show started.
I knew there would be trouble when they started talking about the actors and how they looked, and who was funny, and so on. Then that died down, and the first Eliza Doolittle number came along. "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air..."
Well, let me tell you, all I wanted was some duct tape for the mouths of four little old ladies, who BEGAN TO SING ALONG. I tried to breathe through it. The song ended, then they were pretty well behaved again until the next Eliza song came along. By the time we got to "I Could Have Danced All Night", I had accepted my fate.
I respect that they love the show. I love the show. I love a lot of shows. I can sing along in my head, in fact, I can recite the lines to several, but that's where it stays. IN MY HEAD. I cannot tell you the strength of will it took not to shush them. I am super proud of myself for not doing it, but it took pounds of patience, I can tell you.
Please, please, please people, do not sing along, talk about the costumes through all of the major production numbers, open twizzlers during intense love scenes, commentate throughout the entire show on every action taken by every character, or do any of the other super annoying audience behaviours that make me want to push eject on your seat, and watch with glee as you are cannoned into the air, never to be heard from again. Please. Musical theatre is lots of fun. If you want to sing along, rent it on video and WATCH IT AT HOME. The rest of us totally appreciate it. Cheers!

Nanton Adventures

My mom called me earlier and asked if I wanted to meet for lunch and a walk. She would drive north from Lethbridge and I would drive south from Calgary to Nanton. I suggested bringing our dogs to get them an extra shot of the outdoors too. Great plan, right?

Until about 30 minutes out of Calgary my BRAND NEW PASSENGER REAR TIRE GOES FLAT. Okay, this sucks, but I try to remain calm and call AMA. I get a recording which states I can either stay on HOLD on my cell phone, or they will call me back in 33 minutes. 33 minutes! I am in the shoulder of the highway with my dog! So have to swallow my pride and call Matt. After some convincing he agreed to be my knight in shiny KIA, came out and changed to the spare. Just when he arrives, AMA calls to say it will be about an HOUR! THere is no blizzard, like what is the deal?? I say ok, just in case we can't do the tire change ourselves for some reason. I hang up, Matt's done, and I am on my way down the road, now only capable of driving 90 the rest of the way. Over the next 20 minutes, AMA calls repeatedly and I try to figure out how to cancel the truck order. It got so silly that I finally talked to a manager and said, "You know, trying to get ahold of you guys is a gong show." Do you know they suggest that to cancel a truck order, you email them? Yah, I am going to send a freaking email from the shoulder of Hwy 2. Seems like a great little plan.

Anyway, finally did make it to Nanton. Wanted to show you a pic of the Wild Thyme Cafe where mom and I had lunch, but can't find one anywhere, nor do they have a web site. Someone needs to help with that: web designers out there get to it! It was pretty decent foodwise, and we even found a park for our walk and chat. Then putted back home on my sad little spare tire. Life is always an adventure. :)

Waterslides & Heaven

For a few moments as I was flipping channels, I saw "My Girl" on one of those movie channels. At the beginning the little cutie describes heaven. For her, there are white ponies and friends. I had a sudden flashback, and remembered something.

I remember being on vacation with my parents. At the time, and to this day, I was in love with water. Loved to swim, and just be IN water, like a mermaid. That's what they called me. Anyway, I suddenly remembered the day that I SERIOUSLY said to my mother, "If there are no waterslides in heaven, I don't want to go there. There must be, don't you think?"

I just love the feeling of anticipation at the top of the slide, the adrenaline rush as I go down, and the sensation of the water hitting my flesh when I plunge in at the end. That is HEAVEN.

Sir Laurence Olivier & Wuthering Heights

I just caught the end of Wuthering Heights on TCM, and as usual, sobbed like a little girl who has scraped her knee. I read Wuthering Heights as a young girl, and it was one of the first books that I couldn't read straight through. It is just so brutal. The movie of course, is a completely different entity, and while Merle Oberon is okay, and David Niven is his charming self, the real jewel in the 1939 film is Olivier. First of all, I can't think of a single current "movie star" that can touch him in looks or raw (very trained, actually) talent. He moves through the film with such harsh beauty and fiery vengeance. He is just the epitome of a character actor. I could watch him light up the screen for hours, and he maintained that not just in his beautiful youth, but all throughout his career. Even as an old man, he posessed a presence that you could not tear your eyes from. Pair that with Charlotte Bronte's gut-wrenching lines ("How can I live without my life? How can I die without my soul?" Come on, does melodrama get any better than that? Uh, no.) and you have a film that rips you into pieces every single time. Love it. LOVE IT!!

Party Experiments

There is a reason why it's never a good idea to make a new recipe for a party, without trying it first. Today I bought beverages and food for my teacher party. I decided to try the ratatouille recipe that I was planning to make, just to be sure. All I can say is YYYUUUCCCKKK. Okay, it was not exactly yuck. But it is like...a side dish. It is sauteed and stewed vegetables, for goodness sakes, and I don't know about you, but thyme, basil, and cayenne is the most BORING flavour combination on the face of the earth. It is not simple enough to be elegant and not difficult enough to provide complex dynamics. Pass me the curry!! I honestly can't figure out what the big fuss is over ratatouille. It's like poor person's stew. Blech. So, while plans for all the other food are finalized, the main dish is still up in the air. My new plan is to do an elegant and grown-up version of sloppy joes. Chilis, honey, mustard, hot peppers...NOW we are talking about flavour I can get behind. 7 different beans, and lots of cheese...mmmm...and I am thinking of wraps instead of buns. Keep the bread down, and also easier to eat than a traditional sloppy joe.

I also gave Matthew several options for the "Signature" Party Drink, including Sidecar, Painkiller, and complex Scotch melanges. He CHOSE a traditional bellini, so I bought the Italian version of champagne - Prosecco - and apricot Brandy. Just trying a little tiny one now, and mmmm....I think it would be divine over shaved ice, so that is the plan. The photo above is Paris Hilton's new ad campaign for a Prosecco that is in a CAN (the Italian winemakers of the past are rolling over in their graves). Say what you will about her, but a steady diet of pills, water, air, and cocaine clearly has its benefits.

Commentary on Valentine's Day

I know that Valentine's Day is a completely made-up holiday, but I have always loved it. I appreciate that it falls in February, which is an otherwise dreary month if you live in Calgary. It's cold and you know that there are still seven official weeks of winter left, but could be more like twelve. Blech.

But then we have this cute, goofy little day stuck in there somewhere, associated with the bright and beautiful colour RED, and (my personal favourite part) roses, and it just perks up the whole month. Plus, you can use it to send really cheesy sentiments, not just to that one particular person, but all your friends, colleagues, or family members who have the temperament to tolerate such unabashed giddiness. One should always look for opportunities to send their friends cards with images of cherubim, lace, toile, and like Ralph says on the Simpsons's, cards that ask you to Choo-Choo-Choose Me. Or, if you are determined to go the other way, you can have an equally great time bashing V-Day in the form of a gathering, party, or etc. Although I have NEVER heard of an Anti-Valentine's Day Party anywhere near as raging as the one in the actual movie.

Love it or hate it, it's just one more reason to have a little more fun in life.

Karie's B.I.G. Project: Weird

Karie's B.I.G. Project: Weird: "So I had a great Friday night, but an average Saturday and awful Sunday. Then today got better again, so life is crazy, as always. Matt a..."

Weird

So I had a great Friday night, but an average Saturday and awful Sunday. Then today got better again, so life is crazy, as always. Matt and I have been working on the project of our house. There are only so many ways to make blue carpet look good. We updated everything else from its original 1982 styling, but really, have never been able to bite the flooring bullet when we could go to Costa Rica, or Dominican, or Mexico, or even Canmore, instead.

The last big party we had was in the summer and we built two sundecks, relandscaped the yard, and bought patio furniture. This time we are not going that crazy, but we are cleaning carpets, washing walls, etc (Matt is actually). While Matt does that, I go out. I came home at 3:30 today to get work done, and what do you think really happened? I lasted 2 hours. And it is -30!! Scott kindly agreed to come with me and we went to IKEA first for a new coffeetable and mass-produced art (which I love, btw). Then we did the Costco wander and I priced out chicken wings for the big night. When I came home we had to go the usual rounds over furtniture placement, because Matt likes to line the walls with it, and I think something a little more 3D is in order. Anway, we found something that works for both of us (I got my way), but I still didn't get my school work done. Oh well. That's what morning and pressure are for. Sweet dreams.

PS: Disactivated facebook for now due to numerous problems. Will let you know when I have an account again, and how to find me.

F************!

This day of photos was a hilarious summer day. Matt kept taking my picture without telling me, and I was being Melodramatic Karie, so there are 10 - 12 really humiliating pics on my computer of me being Karie. Click click click. Anyway...

...I have decided to reduce the frequency of the F-bomb in my life. It is becoming REDICULOUSLY COMMON. Okay, when one uses it as a verb (action word), it stands very nicely for action, and everyone likes the noun. It is the F word used as an adjective in casual or professional or friendly conversation that is really starting to annoy me. We use it in place of every other adjective. We are getting just like the Brits. Okay, the point is that I am making a point of using the F word way less, like not in the outside world at all. If you catch me saying it, correct me. Several examples are included below. The F word has been replaced by this:

1. What the ___________? means: I do not understand this situation. Please explain.

2. This is _____ed. means: This is really disappointing and a little surprising.

3. She/He is so ______ing hot! means: She/He is so deliciously hot!

4. My ____ing shoelaces suck! means: Mom, I am not prepared to buy my own shoelaces or deal with my life out there in the real world. Save me. Pay for my shoelaces. Help.

And continue on thusly, filling in the blanks with more descriptive words.. Feel free to submit on facebook or here, your own replacements for the F bomb, to help me stop saying it. It's not cute. But prominent and addictive, yup.

Party Food: Convention Kick-off

Calgary Teachers Convention: Also Known As: Calgary Stampede Craziness for Teachers Only and Stuffed Into Two and a Half Days Instead of Ten. And in Winter. And the only animals are the teachers. Anyway...

How much do I love party planning? So much that I always go WAY over the top. Occasionally in the past I have required sedatives when the moment finally arrives after days of careful preparation and meticulous planning. Okay, so this time I am going to have FUN. I am planning a party for TEACHERS the night before convention starts (a Wednesday) and using this to document my plans as they change. A large number of people are invited, but knowing teachers, I have found there are three types of attendees:

1. Those who come right at the beginning because they have to get home, but don't want to miss out. They stay one - two hours. Thus it is essential to start the party immediately after school. Wednesday is perfect for me, because I will have a prep at the end of the day, so will have lots of lead time to get home and do last-minute prep.

2. Those who come after they have done other adult duties. They arrive around 6 - 7 and stay anywhere from 30 minutes to all night.

3. Those who arrive 30 - 60 minutes after the party starts and tuck in for the night, usually departing around the time that Canada AM starts...in other words, tomorrow.

Based on these factors, it is essential to have food that lasts, without being stuck cooking all night. I love intricate recipes, but I reserve those for small dinner parties, where presentation is more appreciated. Also essential for me is a balance of vegetarian (that doesn't seem like it) and meat dishes. Here is my plan for now:

My theme is Western European Fusion

-Crudites with Spinach and/or Artichoke Dip, served hot. I need to work on this one. Love hot dips. Feel that spinach and artichokes are both too 2002. So over. Ooo! Maybe salmon with green onion, as made by Amber the Fabulous as one option, and another dip that is vegetarian...
-Red Pepper Hummus with dippers. Love the red pepper for COLOUR!!
-Anipasti w/ Focaccia (beans, prawns, sardines, olives, artichoke hearts, figs, soft mozza, thin sliced sausage)
-Ratatouille (a hot, hearty, vegetarian dish for those who are staying over the dinner hour and beyond). This can stay on a low heat for DAYS, never mind hours, and still be delicious.
-Chicken Drumettes, as requested by Scott, John, and Suzana
-Meatballs with Gravy...hmm...need a twist on this one, too. Lamb instead of Beef?? Maybe... with a garlic gravy, greek-style. Mmm...lamb...
-Cold herbed couscous OR quinoa salad (useful for soaking up gravy and ratatouille sauces).
-Desserts: While I love to bake, I may cheat and go to the European bakery by Scarlett, because they have the coolest little yummy tidbits.

Okay, next hurdle is the drink menu. If anyone wants to email me ideas, go for it. Obviously, lots of non-alcoholic options because NO teachers drink. In addition to the usual alcohol proferrings, I would like to create one signature drink for this party. It's sort of my thing. Like the night I made Cloudy Skies...but need to stick with my European Fusion theme.

Avril Lavigne & The Switch & Jason Bateman

http://www.youtube.com/user/AvrilLavigne?blend=2&ob=1 This is to listen to What the Hell.

Criticized as too popp-ish, all I can say is, hello circa 1980's Madonna, je l'aime beaucoup.
Too much fun.

We need more fun, don't we people?

Let's not be so SERIOUS.

Watched The Switch tonight. Not nearly as good as Juno, but I am thinking Jason Bateman has been lying dormant all these years, and now he's BACK. And I love him. He's so funny and cute and QUIRKY. What is it with me and the quirky ones? He has not taken the place of my two loves, though. Robert Downey Jr. and John Cusack. Okay, a druggy (ex-druggy, now sober, excusez moi) and a recluse. Hmmm...need to reexamine my celebrity preferences, perhaps? Actually, are there really any that aren't freaking crazy pants?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYqgyXyk9A This is to watch The Switch trailer.

Well, that was a day, that's for damn sure. Good night.

Starbucks Super Size Me

http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/home/starbucks_rolling_out_huge_new_drink_size_in_us/578a2630

That is a lot of caffeine. Can you imagine an Americano 31 oz, which apparently will soon be a reality? A LITRE of coffee. You would literally be zooming around your house like a two-year-old on crack. Okay, maybe the caffeine addicts would barely notice it. Having broken my caffeine addiction (meaning I only have it here and there and do not experience withdrawl from it...any more...), I would definitely be flying higher than the stars. I drank a CAN of Pepsi Max last week, the one with the Ginseng, and I didn't sleep for four days. Seriously though, I worked at Starbucks (hasn't everyone), and there are some crazy orderers out there. It was bad enough when people came in and ordered a Venti light roast (light roast has the most caffeine, btw) with two or three shots of espresso. But being able to order it ten ounces larger? How many shots could you stick into an Americano that size? Like five? Six? And then people wonder why they have panic attacks and feel anxious. Um, could it be that you basically shot yourself up with another form of adrenaline? Why don't you add some SUGAR to that, and maybe your heart will just start beating so fast that it will actually explode out of your chest?

Okay, FACTS from Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske:

• Caffeine can't provide energy, only chemical stimulation (love that word...also love the word "moist"...anyway... distracted...), an induced emergency state that can lead to irritability, mood swings, and panic attacks.


• Caffeine's ultimate mood effect can be letdown, which can lead to depression and chronic fatigue.


• Caffeine gives the illusion of heightened alertness by dilating pupils, quickening heart rate, and raising blood pressure. In fact, caffeine does not increase overall mental activity.

Espresso was meant to be savoured, people. Not glugged. Um, by the way Amber, I still have your book. I think it has been a couple years. Sorry. You can have it back. :>

However, I do love the iced passion tea in the summer. Unsweetened. Herbal. Bright red. Herbaciously delicious and thirst quenching. 0 caffeine. 0 sugar. 0 calories. Lots of flavour. I could drink 30 ounces of that. Hmmm...

Delicious, Beautiful Food

Geoff above. Then burgers. Then chefs at loungeburger.

Lately I have been forgetting to eat. Friday I had a protein shake. And 1/2 cup of leftover salad. And then didn't think about eating again. All day. All night. This is very odd because I used to be obsessed with planning my next delicious meal ALL THE TIME. I woke up today and the scale was way too low. Those who have known me forever know this is odd, but my brain is just full of other thoughts. Anyway, today I decided to have a food day and try to have all the things I like most, come what may. I went to COOP as soon as it opened and bought turkey sausages and gluten free bread. Came home and made basted eggs like I learned from Emeril years ago (yolks still runny, yum), turkey sausages, toast with melted cheddar, and mom's amazing crab apple jelly from her own trees. Then Matthew and I had plans to meet his good friend Geoff for a late lunch. Let me tell you that it is exciting and frightening to go out to eat with two chefs. I am picky. They are...on a whole different plane. But not jerks about it. They just want it to be right. So Geoff said, let's try loungeburger. And off we went. It is not perfect, but it is EXCELLENT. And when we were unimpressed with little things, like the sauce on the edamame, the floor manager came over with sauce options and chatted us up. It is beautiful inside, super service, great decor and really comfortable, and BOOTHS. The best thing is all the options. They have burgers made of chicken, shrimp, portabellos, elk, lamb, veal, kobe beef, bison, many bun options, dozens of sauces, and lots of big screen tv's. Upscale burger joint. Love it. The thing no one knows about me is that burgers are my favourite thing on EARTH, though I never eat them. So today I had three mini-sliders (the buns made me sick, but who cares...pain is temporary). One was veal, one was bison, one was elk. They were prepared simply so that you could savour the distinct flavours of the meats, and came with exactly six waffle fries. Just enough to enjoy fries and not enough to feel badly about. I also ordered their mushroom bisque, which is another secret pleasure of mine. I love mushroom soup. It feels so right. Theirs was full of different types of mushrooms and finished with sherry. No fillers. No crap, just delicious pure ingredients. I am going back to try those meatballs that are on the menu at some point. Meatballs with goat cheese? HELLLLOOOOO!!!! Thanks for getting me there Geoff. You are a man of considerably excellent taste.

http://www.loungeburger.com/

I am going to finish my day with a gorgeous tuna melt, which is another one of my favourite foods that I never eat, so I am off to make it with more melty cheese, lots of mayo, and drowning in black pepper. Tomorrow is family day (Chele and Ambi birthdays) with a lasagna prepped today that has almost TWO POUNDS OF MOZARELLA, RICOTTA, AND PARMESAN in it. And Caesar salad. And olives. And BIRTHDAY CAKE!!

Monday is back to protein shakes and salad because Tuesday is ballet (eek). :>

UPDATE @ 11:31pm: No tuna melt. Went to the High Performance Rodeo instead. Saw "In the Wake". HIGHLY recommend. Great acting, great physical theatre and movement. Not WEIRD or ABSTRACT or OFFENSIVE. Just innovative storytelling. I love it long time.

Ballet Class, Here I Come!

After much contemplation (okay, none...I read about it in Swerve and then just went for it) I decided to start an adult Ballet class. When was the last time I took ballet you ask? Oh, maybe 25 years ago, give or take. Or wait, was that Jazz dance? Oh, yah. So... never.

Above is the ballet gear I bought today, and seriously, I am regretting it a bit. But I got all caught up in the moment. So likely I will wear my yoga gear over this, and never actually show the outfit off to ANYONE, but I love owning pink tights. Like, majorly love it. I want black legwarmers to go with this outfit. I saw some at Forever XXI the other day - a store which totally speaks to my thirty-something life crises, by the way. If all else fails, I can prance around in this outfit at home, and it will be there UNDER my yoga clothes at my class, should I ever feel brave. Jill at work has a daughter who is a REAL ballerina, and she suggested the layering concept, and I trust her. Good to have a backup plan. However, I can see myself getting fed up with the ugly clothes one day, and just going for it. Maybe Class 3 or 4. Don't you think you would just dance better in THIS outfit, instead of yoga clothes? I did yoga for YEARS. Over it. So over it. Yawn.



I am also terrified by the fact that there are two times in the next 17 weeks when OUTSIDERS are invited to OBSERVE classes. Not only will no one I know be invited to this, but I am dying at the thought of anyone watching me try to be all ballet-ish, even if they are just strangers who are there to watch their loved ones. Maybe I will skip that day.



If it is all just too awful, maybe they will let me switch into African Dance or something, though the fast beats are not so good for me. I almost died trying to learn to miringue last year, and have never made it past the second beat of a hip hop workshop.



I have a feeling I will be blogging about this again. Soon. Lessons start Tuesday at 5. Yikes.

Originally, this blog was going to be all about BIG things, and sometimes I get a little lost in the sarcasm, so here is another BIG blog.

For the past two days, I have been watching PowerPoints made by my ESL students about themselves. This has been totally enjoyable, touching, and at times, hilarious. I have had to do some quick re-translating in my head. For example, one girl was speaking of her best friend, and her slide said this of her buddy who is always there to pick her up when she is down, "She is best fren. When I am hard she helps me out." Oh, so funny, but I had to keep my best serious face on. Other times I am simply astonished, such as the young lady who waxed on sincerely about her love for sitting in Starbucks, savouring the smooth flavours of a mocha, and letting time slip by.

What struck me most though, was the section that they were required to present on their impressions of Canada. I was expecting criticisms, and stories of loneliness and being ostracized by their peers for the language barrier. Though they worked on them individually, the slides read the same over and over again, in variations: I love Canada. I love Calgary. It is beautiful and clean. The air is fresh and pure. The sky is blue and big. The people are calm and kind. I am free.

How simple. How we take these things for granted. To my Chinese and Korean students, the big, blue, clean sky of breathable air is their #1 overall impression of being here. To my students from Sudan and Ethiopia and so on, they are just happy to be free. Almost every student spoke of the love they have for Canadian people. Such a good reminder of how much we have been given.